GITA’S ANZAC BISCUITS
by admin on Jul.04, 2009, under Blog
GITA’S ANZAC BISCUITS
This is an Australian cookie recipe classic. I remember both my grandmothers making them (with their own slight variations of course) and they are not dissimiliar to your Oatmeal cookie recipe. Note that in Australia, we call cookies ‘biscuits’! A bit confusing I know, but then your ‘biscuit’ is our ‘scone’!!!
Anzac Day marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War.[1] The acronym ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, whose soldiers were known as Anzacs. Anzac Day remains one of the most important national occasions of both Australia and New Zealand.[2] This is a rare instance of two sovereign countries not only sharing the same remembrance day, but making reference to both countries in its name.
ANZAC biscuits were made for the returning ANZAC’s, by the wives, girlfriends and mothers. It was a way for all Australian’s and New Zealanders to thank the returning troops for their service.
Please be aware that an Australian tablespoon is 20mls (US & UK is 15mls), an Australian teaspoon is the same as the US & UK (5mls), and 1 cup is 250mls.
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup plain flour, sifted
¾ cup sugar
¾ - 1 cup dessicated coconut (depending on how ‘coconutty’ you want your biscuit)
125 gms (4oz) butter
2 tablespoons golden syrup
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 tablespoon boiling water
Method
Preheat oven to 130 degrees (approximately 260 degrees farenheit).
Grease 2 oven trays or line with baking paper.
Combine oats, sifted plain flour, sugar and coconut.
Combine butter and golden syrup in a small saucepan.
Stir butter and golden syrup together over gentle heat until melted.
Mix soda with the boiling water.
Add to the melted butter mixture.
Stir butter/soda mixture into the dry ingredients.
Take teaspoons of mixture and place on a light greased oven tray, allowing room for spreading.
Cook in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Loosen while warm, then cool on trays.
Makes approximately 35.
July 4th, 2009 on 12:12 pm
XD ‘coconutty.’ That’s great
Thank you so much for posting this. I will be sure to try it out someday. Hopefully someday soon!
I think I may try putting chocolate chips in mine…
BTW, if noone else knows; “Golden syrup” is the same as our corn syrup in the U.S.
Thanx again for posting this, Duncan and Gita
I appreciate it.
July 4th, 2009 on 12:36 pm
Ooo, sounds good! Thanks for the recipies.
Chocolate chips sound good to me! just about anything can be made even better with chocolate! ;D
Happy 4th of July!
~Kiwi~
July 4th, 2009 on 1:38 pm
MMMMmmmmmmmmm! Sounds yummy! I will try this…but what is “bicarbonate of soda”? Is it baking soda….or does it have something to do with soda pop? LOL! I probably should know this! You should have a page on this website just for recipes! Oh ya…thanx for signing the awesome photo I ordered! -Valerie
July 4th, 2009 on 3:52 pm
Hi Valerie,
Bicarbonate of Soda is the same thing as Baking Soda. It’s amazing how the names of things change between countries. I am always trying to decipher ingredients!! Can be a lot of fun!! Happy cooking,
Gita
July 4th, 2009 on 11:32 pm
How do I boil one tablespoon of water?
No chocolate chips?
July 5th, 2009 on 11:39 am
Awesome! ‘Love a good Anzac cookie recipe! Thank Gita for me
July 6th, 2009 on 8:04 am
Thank you so much, Gita! Now I will go make those!
July 6th, 2009 on 10:46 pm
Hi Bobbi, just use a tablespoon of water from a kettle that has just boiled. Chocolate chips were not available when they started making these cookies in WW1. If you want to add chocolate chips, then add about 1/2 a cup after you add the butter/soda mix. Enjoy. Gita
July 7th, 2009 on 11:46 am
Thanks so much for the recipe. I homeschool and when we learn about new countries we try to make some authentic dish and this will be a yummy treat for Australia’s lesson! Thanks again.
July 7th, 2009 on 2:30 pm
GITA - you are still my hero! Thanks again for the recipe, will add it to my collection!
blessings,denise
July 8th, 2009 on 8:55 pm
Sweet! Thanks Duncan, it makes me feel a little more Australian! Blessings
July 9th, 2009 on 10:27 am
Can you post the recipe for lamingtons on here? I saw Dunca’s picture of them- they looked so good!
July 9th, 2009 on 7:03 pm
I know Gita would have a great Lamington recipe….I’ll ask her… = )
July 13th, 2009 on 4:19 pm
ANZAC biscuits is the best food in Australia.
July 14th, 2009 on 11:43 am
Is the golden syrup the same as vegetable oil? Thanks for the recipe, I’m always looking for new ones!
July 15th, 2009 on 12:40 pm
Hi Debbie. Golden Syrup is a by-product of refined sugar cane. I haven’t personally done it, but you could substitute Maple Syrup or Honey for the Golden Syrup. Treacle is also a by-product of sugar cane but is heavier and darker and has a much stronger flavour than Golden Syrup. I think Maple Syrup would be my first choice; might even give it a go myself!! Good luck with it Debbie.
July 15th, 2009 on 6:54 pm
Gita, I made the biscuits today and they were really good! Thanks for the recipe.
July 16th, 2009 on 4:41 am
Great to hear Megan. Thanks for letting me know. I love the feedback. Hope you are inspired to make them again.
July 16th, 2009 on 6:36 am
@Debbie
I have a friend from Aussie who sends me recipes sometimes. She says that what they call golden syrup there is like what we call corn syrup.
July 21st, 2009 on 10:51 am
Hi. I was just about to ask about the lamingtons, too! I saw the picture…they look good. So is it a kind of cake or what?
Could you put the video blogs on here, too, so I can comment? I don’t have a facebook.
Thanks for doing the video blogs, Duncan.
~Kiwi~
July 21st, 2009 on 11:50 am
ok, I have never been to Australia…Drat! What are lamingtons? I did see some photos of Australia…Beautiful, do they count??? I thought not..oh well…for now learning what a lamington is will have to suffice!
Lisa
July 21st, 2009 on 11:50 am
oh yeah, forgot to ask…how are people putting those smilies on their comments???
July 22nd, 2009 on 8:55 pm
you know…I’m not sure if I can, but I’ll find out…thanks Kiwi da Fruit…
July 23rd, 2009 on 4:43 am
Hi Kiwi & Lisa. Lamingtons are vanilla sponge cake squares which are then coated in a thin chocolate icing, and then rolled and covered with coconut. They are very very yummy!!! I’ll find my grandmother’s recipe and forward it on to Duncan. Happy cooking all!! Gita
July 24th, 2009 on 1:04 pm
WOW! Lamingtons sound awesome!
You know, every time I come on here…I get hungry 
July 24th, 2009 on 7:06 pm
OHHHH They sound SO yummy!
I love foods from other countries…I have a friend, Rose, from the Philipines. She taught me how to make a chicken dish that my kids and their friends beg me to make over and over…it is delish! Thanks for the word on Lamingtons…
July 27th, 2009 on 1:42 pm
Hey Duncan & Gita,
I tried the cookies today…they’re good! I had trouble stopping snacking on them. The only disadvantage to these is that it takes SO long to bake them, especially if you’re doing 2 or more batches. But thanks for the recipe! I think they’ll take up frequent residence in our cookie jar.
By the way, 1 Australian tablespoon equals one American tablespoon plus one teaspoon. Cups and teaspoons are the same.
~Kiwi~
July 30th, 2009 on 5:48 pm
So an australian tablespoon is the same as foyr american teaspoons? help im so not good at converting this kinda stuff and im not that great at math(blah).
August 11th, 2009 on 6:02 pm
Duncan! I have been madly in love with your drumming and drum set for years! I am wondering if you would mind sharing your detailed set-up and tuning secrets with me. I would love it so much! Keep up the good work you guys! Thanks!
August 24th, 2009 on 12:49 pm
Thanks for the recipe Duncan and Gita. i was playing a game where i had to collect cookies and Anzac was one of them. wondered what they were. this recipe is a great thing to have to pass down to the children. my grandmother (born in Manchester) made these incredible cookies at Christmas, and ONLY at Christmas that no one has the recipe to (something with figs and dates, i think) she’s long gone now and i really wish i had paid attention to what she was doing. i miss those cookies! can’t wait to try these. oh, and for those who are unsure, look for karo syrup…that should be what you’re looking for.
August 24th, 2009 on 5:41 pm
just baked these (they are still cooling, which is the best time to snag a cookie… er… biscuit.
) They taste wonderful!
August 25th, 2009 on 10:04 am
I am so excited!!! I finally got to order my Super Summer Special!!!
Woot Woot….I am beside myself with glee!!!
Ok, can someone please tell me how to put smilies here???
for now…just imagine a dozen smilies right here!!!
August 27th, 2009 on 7:06 pm
Hi Tali,
One Australian tablespoon = one US tablespoon + one US teaspoon. OR… One Australian tablespoon = four (4) US teaspoons. Hope this helps. Happy baking.
August 31st, 2009 on 7:55 pm
Sweet Gita, thanks for the recipe! I’m looking forward to making these! They sound delicious. = )Thanks for the help! I was getting confused with these terms = ) Glad I’m not the only one….heh heh
September 22nd, 2009 on 11:58 am
Hey Duncan.
I just saw some of the pictures y’all took in Mexico, building that house. Wasn’t it awful hot, working in Mexico, in the summer, on a sunny day, in black? ;D
~Laura
November 5th, 2009 on 12:17 pm
sounds GOOD!!!
November 10th, 2009 on 7:33 pm
Absolutely…..but totally worth it!
December 1st, 2009 on 10:31 am
I haven’t posted here for a while…although I visit often…just thought I’d say hi…so….HI!